Reclinable chair

ABSTRACT

A reclinable chair having a back and seat articulated for reclining movement of the back with respect to the seat, in which a plate having opposed faces disposed at an angle with respect to each other joins together the back and the seat. One of the plate faces is joined to the back, while the other of the plate faces is joined to the seat. A restoring force is exerted by the plate tending to restore the plate faces to the angle therebetween when they are forced away from that angle. The plate is preferably U-shaped, substantially encased in resilient material also U-shaped, with a flap of resilient material extending parallel to and between the legs of the plate.

BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a reclinable chair, particularly one inwhich the back and seat are articulated for reclining movement of theback with respect to the seat. The invention provides a simple buthighly effective reclining control element disposed between the back andthe seat of a chair.

Reclining control mechanisms for seats and backs of chairs are known,which present various inconveniences and problems. One of the moregenerally used reclining control elements basically works by frictionbetween two plates of wrinkled surfaces, the friction between which isregulated by means of a butterfly. This type of control mechanismsuffers from excessive wear, and in time loses its properties ofsupport, resulting in a weakened back structure in the chair. Othertypes of reclining control mechanisms utilize springs, acting incompression or tension. Both these types of reclining control mechanismsare complex, due generally to the many parts that are included,rendering them not only expensive but also large in size, not pleasingin appearance, and also noisy in operation.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these problems ofprior art reclining control mechanisms, and to provide a controlmechanism which is pleasing in appearance, quiet in operation, andeffective in its control of reclining in a chair. Another object is toprovide a reclining control mechanism which is simple in construction,presenting no problems in installation or removal.

These objects are achieved through the present invention by utilizing aplate, preferably of spring steel, having opposed faces disposed at anangle with respect to each other. One of the faces of the plate isjoined to the back of the chair, while the other face is joined to thechair seat. A restoring force is exerted by the plate tending to restorethe plate faces to the angle therebetween whenever they are forced awayfrom that angle.

A particularly suitable form of plate is U-shaped, and is substantiallyencased in resilient, preferably elastomeric, material which is alsoU-shaped. The resilient material may include a flap extending parallelto and between the encased legs of the plate. Preferably the legs of theU-shaped plate define an angle less than about 110° with the mid-portionof the U-shaped plate.

The invention will be more completely understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a chair seat and back joined together by areclining control element embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the chair of FIG. 1, taken toan enlarged scale, showing the details of the reclining control elementof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reclining control element 1 is constitutedby a plate 5, preferably of spring steel and preferably U-shaped insection, secured by threaded screws 6 with appropriate nuts to back 3and seat 2 of a chair. Plate 7 may be utilized, as shown, to reinforcethe structure of the chair. The plate 5 is substantially encased byresilient material 4, preferably elastomeric material.

As noted, the plate 5 is preferably U-shaped, and includes opposed legs5a disposed at an angle with respect to each other (that angle isdesignated in FIG. 2 as a₁. The U-shaped plate 5 also includes amid-portion 5b, and each leg 5a of the plate defines an angle which isless than about 110° with the mid-portion 5b of the plate. This latterangle is designated as a₂ in FIG. 2. As is apparent from FIG. 2, it isthe legs 5a of the plate that are joined to the back 3 and seat 2 of thechair.

As also noted above, the plate 5 is substantially encased by resilientmaterial 4. That resilient material is also generally U-shaped, and legs4a thereof encase the legs 5a of the plate, while mid-portion 4b of theresilient material encases mid-portion 5b of the plate. The resilientmaterial includes a flap or projection 8, essentially formed from theresilient material by slots 9 which outline the flap or projection. Theflap 8 extends parallel to and between the legs 4a of resilientmaterial.

A reclining control element of the type shown in FIG. 2 is particularlysuitable for control of reclining of the back portion 3 of the chairwith respect to the seat 2. The material of the plate 5 exerts arestoring force tending to restore the faces 5a of the plate to theangle a₂ with respect to the plate portion 5b whenever that angle ischanged due to a person sitting in the chair and a reclining of the back3 with respect to the seat 2 taking place. The resilient material 4contributes to this action.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications tothe embodiment of the invention described above may be made.Accordingly, the description above should be considered as illustrative,and the invention should be taken to be defined by the following claims.

I claim:
 1. In a reclinable chair having a back and a seat articulated for reclining movement of the back with respect to the seat, the improvement comprising a generally U-shaped plate having opposed legs disposed at an angle with respect to each other, one of said legs being joined to said back and the other of said legs being joined to said seat, the material of said plate exerting a restoring force tending to restore said legs to said angle when forced away from said angle, said plate being substantially encased by a resilient material generally U-shaped in section, with the legs of said plate being substantially encased within the legs of said U-shaped resilient material, and said resilient material includes a flap extending parallel to and between said legs of said resilient material.
 2. A reclinable chair according to claim 1, in which said legs of said U-shaped plate define an angle less than about 110° with the mid portion of said U-shaped plate.
 3. A reclinable chair according to claim 2, in which said plate is of spring steel.
 4. A reclinable chair according to claim 3, in which said resilient material is elastomeric. 